Rash of burglaries plague unalarmed houses, church

A Penn Boulevard house was reported burglarized July 19 following the homeowner's return from vacation. The house was last seen intact by the homeowner's daughter July 13. All doors and windows were reported locked during the homeowner's absence, but the home security system had not been activated. At least three newspapers were found piled up outside the house, indicating that no one was home. Investigation uncovered a rear kitchen window screen lying on the ground and the interior window latch lying on a couch near the window. Dirt was also found on the couch, possibly left by the perpetrator's shoes. Police suspected the damaged window was the perpetrator's point of entry. A glass bottle of Pilsner Urquell and a beer cap were found on the kitchen countertop, possibly left by the perpetrator. Several rooms in the house were ransacked, and a pillowcase was missing from the daughter's bedroom. The homeowner said she found both a rear patio door and the front door unlocked, although these doors were left locked before the homeowner and her daughter left for vacation. Police investigated the house for evidence and fingerprints. The homeowner said she would compile a list of stolen items and provide it to police.

On July 20, a housekeeper came to work and found an Aspen Road house burglarized. A back door was found unlocked, and the lock was broken and lying on the floor. The master bedroom, the children's bedrooms and a guest bedroom were all ransacked. A golf club was found in the master bedroom. It was not known if the glove had been used during the burglary. The housekeeper said she had last been in the house on July 8. The homeowner was not due back until July 23. The homeowner said he would provide a list of stolen items to police. The house did not have an alarm system, nor did it have security cameras.

On July 22, a Walworth Avenue homeowner returned home, found a broken basement window at the rear of her house and discovered her house had been burglarized. According to the homeowner, her husband drove her to the train station at approximately 7:22 a.m. and returned home at 8:20 a.m. Her son was sleeping in a second-floor bedroom during that time. At 9:30 a.m., an undisclosed person in the house noticed a second-floor bathroom had been rummaged through, a basement window was broken, and basement lights were on. At 4:30 p.m., the homeowner came home from work and noticed her master bathroom and an end table next to her bed were tossed. Medication, assorted jewelry, and a camera television monitor were stolen. The family was in the process of moving, so it was difficult for the homeowner to determine if anything else was missing. Police believe the suspect entered the house through the basement window and left the house through the front door.

On July 24, an employee of a Crane Road church reported the church sanctuary had been broken into, and a Lenovo laptop computer had been stolen. The laptop was last seen in the sanctuary on July 21. Police noticed pry marks on a rear door, and fresh paint chips were on the floor. The employee said the office has a security system, but it was not on during the time of the burglary. Another laptop computer, near the stolen laptop, was undisturbed.

Missing purse
On July 21, a Bell Road woman reported her handbag was possibly stolen from her house. She said the medium-size leopard handbag was last seen on the floor of a front coat closet. It allegedly contained several envelopes containing $100 cash and $500 cash, a checkbook and miscellaneous personal items. The owner was not sure about when she had last seen the handbag. She said no one had been in the house that day, and she was unclear if she had left the house that day. Patrol observed two empty handbags filling the description of the missing handbag, but the woman said they were different bags. Patrol noted the woman's wallet, containing her driver's license and cash, were still in her possession.

Fraud
On July 21, a School Lane woman reported sending $500 to a fraudulent account through Moneygram. This followed a scam call alleging that the woman's son was involved in an accident with the caller's "criminal cousin." It was further alleged that the woman's son was being held at gunpoint. The woman was instructed to wire $500 to a recipient in Puerto Rico, without getting police involved. She sent $450 through Moneygram while the caller remained on the phone. After the call was disconnected, the woman reached her son and realized he had not been involved in an accident and was okay.

Identity theft
A Chateaux Circle resident reported an unknown individual attempted to open a fraudulent Citibank credit card account in his name July 23.

On July 23, a man told police that someone attempted to change the security question on his Chase Bank accounts. Patrol confirmed that bank employees caught the attempt and did not allow any changes to be made.

Criminal mischief
On July 21, a Bell Road resident reported someone had stripped the plastic dip spray from one of his car's tire rims. When police arrived on scene, the allegedly damaged tire rim did not look different from the other tire rims on the car. The resident told police it did not look different because he had already repaired it. Furthermore, he said similar damage has happened in the past, but he did not report it. Patrol advised the resident to not repair any alleged damage until patrol has an opportunity to view and investigate the damage. Patrol advised the resident that extra ridebys of his house would be conducted.

Car break-in suspect
At 3:15 a.m., July 22, New Rochelle police reported a white male suspect fled from police, after the suspect was seen going through a car on Arbor Drive, a cul-de-sac off Weaver Street.

Damaged door
A Wynmor Road homeowner returned home and found her front screen door "completely shattered" July 20. Police detected no sign of criminal activity, and the homeowner did not notice any items missing from her house. The homeowner was advised to contact her landscaper for further possible information.

Ride home
A Hispanic man was seen leaning against a tree near the intersection of Fenimore Road and Ridgecrest West at 3:26 a.m., July 22. Patrol questioned the man, who was lost and intoxicated. He requested help in calling a taxi to drive him home to White Plains. Patrol called a late-night taxi service from New Rochelle.

SIM card
A man approached patrol at Spencer Place and East Parkway, alleging that two men stole his phone's SIM card July 22. According to the man, he lost his cell phone in village center earlier that day. He used another phone to locate his missing phone and discovered two deliverymen holding his phone near the intersection of East Parkway and Christie Place. The man approached the deliverymen and told them the phone belonged to him. The deliverymen returned the phone, but the man soon realized the SIM card was missing and notified police. Police spoke with the deliverymen, who said they found the broken phone on the sidewalk while unloading a truck. They said they had pulled the SIM card out of the phone before the man approached them. They alleged they attempted to return the SIM card, but the man did not want to talk with them. They said they threw the SIM card away. Patrol asked them to retrieve the SIM card and return it to the man. The SIM card was broken, but the man said he was happy to get his phone and SIM card back.

Suspicious activity
On July 19, a Crawford Lane woman reported hearing shaking noises at her back door. She said it sounded like someone possibly attempting to break into her house. Patrol checked the house and its perimeter and found no sign of criminal activity.

A caller reported a white man with dark hair "watching people enter and exit Potter Road park" while sitting in a parked Toyota Camry July 19. Patrol questioned the man, who said he was there for "some peace and quiet." He said he was an off-duty Central Taxi driver. Patrol verified there were no warrants for the man, and he left the area on his own accord.

A man sitting in a parked car Penn Boulevard identified himself as an Uber driver July 19. He said he had just dropped off a fare and had pulled over to make a phone call. He left the area.

A Montrose Road resident saw, via security cameras, a group of people drive into his driveway while he was away at 12:05 a.m., July 20. He asked patrol to check his house. Patrol verified there were no people on the resident's property, and there were no signs of criminal activity.

911
A Meadow Road resident called 911, asking for the phone number for Angie's List July 19. The resident was advised to dial 411, to reach directory assistance, for that information.

On July 21, a Mamaroneck Road woman repeatedly called 911, asking what time it was. Patrol went to the house to check the welfare of the woman. When she did not answer the door, patrol went inside the house through a rear door. The woman was physically okay and apologized for calling 911 to ask for the time. Patrol contacted her daughter, who said a caretaker should be with the woman because the woman suffers from dementia. While police were on scene, the caretaker returned from a brief trip to the bank. He said he should not have left the woman alone. The daughter said she would follow up with the caretaker. The SPD older adult advocate is following up.

Light
A Springdale Road resident reported seeing an alarm strobe light at a neighbor's house at 2:30 a.m., July 21. Investigating officers discovered the flashing light to be coming from a malfunctioning motion sensor light.

Damaged lawn
A Carthage Road homeowner reported a large truck damaged his front lawn July 21. The homeowner said he thought the truck was leaving a construction site on Ardmore Road. Police determined the tire damage was on village property.

Possible intoxication
Metropolitan Transit Authority police notified Scarsdale police that a possibly intoxicated man got out of the train and got into the driver's seat of a black SUV at 12:40 a.m., July 22. The driver proceeded from northbound Garth Road to eastbound Popham Road. Police attempted to make contact with the vehicle but was unable to do so. Patrol monitored the area for safety.

Hallucination
On July 23, a Boulder Brook man called police at 2 a.m., reporting an unknown individual inside his house, who allegedly left through the unlocked front door. When police arrived, the man's wife said her husband was disoriented following back surgery. She said there was no one suspicious inside her house, as her husband had mistakenly thought.

Cars and roadways
On July 18, patrol directed traffic around a disabled car at Post and Edgewood roads while the driver waited or roadside assistance.
The highway department was called to remove fallen branches and trees from Post, Richbell, Lee and Brookline roads July 18.

Police officers controlled traffic at Post and Crane roads after traffic lights failed due to a thunderstorm July 18.

Patrol notified utility companies about fallen wires on Barry Road July 18.

Patrol contacted the highway department to address "a large number of potholes" on the Heathcote Bypass July 19.

A possible hit-and-run traffic accident knocked down crosswalk and bus stop signs at Post and Edgewood roads July 20. A Con Edison pole was also damaged at that location.

On July 21, police notified Cablevision about a fallen wire on Madison Road.

A caller reported accidentally locking her keys and dog inside her white Buick Lacrosse on Ardmore Road July 21. The car, woman and dog were gone when police arrived to help. There was no information about how the woman got back into her car or if the dog was able to assist.

Police directed traffic around a disabled car at Popham Road and East Parkway while the driver waited for roadside assistance July 21.

Police helped a driver move her disabled car to the side of Crossway while waiting for help from AAA July 23.

Con Edison was notified about fallen branches leaning on wires on Stonehouse Road July 24.

Ten car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Neighbors
A Ferncliff Road resident reported his neighbor was damaging his fence July 19. Police saw several fence slats lying on the resident's property and questioned the neighbor about them. The neighbor said the fence is in poor condition and slats frequently fall off and land in his yard. When this happens, the neighbor said he throws the slats back onto the resident's property. The resident and the neighbor were advised to stay away from each other.

Animals
A Carthage Road woman reported a possibly sick fox lying beneath a swing set in her backyard July 17. Patrol provided her with trappers' telephone numbers.

A caller reported a possibly sick or injured squirrel on Fox Meadow playground July 19. Patrol cleared the playground and safely released a squirrel trapped inside a garbage can. The squirrel ran off toward a field and appeared to be healthy.

A deer was reportedly struck by a car on Post Road near Scarsdale High School July 19. Patrol went to the scene, but the deer was already gone.

A Heathcote Road resident reported a coyote on her property at 6 p.m., July 20. The animal was gone by the time police arrived. An hour later, police received another report of a coyote headed east near the intersection of Bethel and Richbell roads. It was also gone when patrol arrived.

A passerby found a "lost" dog on Murray Hill Road July 21. The dog actually belonged to the household where the dog was found in the yard. The homeowner came outside and took the dog into the house.

A man found a small, white dog near the intersection of Mamaroneck and Murray Hill roads July 23. Police contacted New Rochelle Humane Society.

Village code
Police issued a summons to the driver of a truck unloading a delivery on Palmer Avenue at 6:20 a.m., July 19.

Patrol issued summonses to landscapers using gas-powered blowers on Post and Brewster roads July 19 and Crossway July 20.

On July 23, a caller reported loud and offensive music coming from a Lakin Road house. Patrol informed the homeowner, and she graciously lowered the volume of music. Patrol noted in the report that "the music was not too loud."

Lost and found
On July 21, a man came to headquarters and reported losing his iPhone 5. It was described as being housed in a yellow case. The man said he last saw his cell phone on Harwood Court while unlocking his bicycle.

A drawstring bag was found in Chase Road park July 23. It contained a baby hat, a bag of wipes and first aid ointment. Police vouchered the bag for safekeeping.

Firefighters
Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a leaking pressure regulator on Fox Meadow Road July 18.

A Brookline Road tree was struck by lightning July 18. The tree split, and flying debris broke a window. Firefighters stood by for a tree removal company.

On July 20, a Cushman Road resident reported she could not get to her six-month-old child due to a jammed bedroom door in her house. Firefighters forced open the door by removing the lock assembly, and the resident was reunited with her child. The child was fine and did not need medical attention.

A Greenacres Avenue resident was accidentally locked out of her house July 20. Firefighters helped her back inside the house.

A homeowner heard an audible alarm inside a Post Road house July 21. Firefighters traced the sound to a discarded, battery-operated smoke alarm sounding in a trash bag.

The driver of a red Toyota Camry approached firefighters and said she accidentally sideswiped a fire engine on Post Road July 21. An accident report was produced, and photos were taken of the damage.

This week, firefighters assisted with two car accidents in the village. They responded to one false carbon monoxide alarms and 22 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, and insecticide fog, cooking smoke, construction dust, excessive heat in an attic and shower steam.

This report covering police and fire department activity from July 18-24 was compiled from official information.

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